The chapter describes the chosen method and why it is relevant for the study. The interviewees are also presented. Finally, the data collection process is being described.
3.1 Choice of Method-Qualitative and Case Study Approach
In the thesis, the author has been chosen to use a qualitative approach and case study approach. Therefore, the characteristics of these approaches must be presented.
3.1.1 Qualitative approach
According to Denzin and Lincoln (1994) qualitative research is multi-method in focus, involving an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter. This means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of or interpret phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them. Qualitative research involves the studied use and collection of a variety of empirical materials case study, personal experience, introspective, life story interview, observational, historical, interactional, and visual texts-that describe routine and problematic moments and meaning in individuals' lives. Cresswell (1994) also defines the Qualitative research is an inquiry process of understanding based on distinct methodological traditions of inquiry that explore a social or human problem. The researcher builds a complex, holistic picture, analyzes words, reports detailed views of informants, and conducts the study in a natural setting.
Hussey and Hussey (1997) describe the qualitative approach as subjective and suggest that taking this perspective implies that the researcher examines and reflects on apprehensions of individuals to gain an understanding of human and social activities.
Quantitative approaches conversely, are of objective nature. Studies employing this approach, measures phenomena through the collection of numerical data which are analyzed by statistical methods. To exemplify this, Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Lowe (2002) propose that the distinguishing feature of qualitative interviews is the objective to gain an understanding of the perceptions held by interviewees on certain issues, or in relation to situations unstructured by the researcher. Quantitative interviews comparatively, are characterized by their high degree of structure, and by that questions should be precisely formulated and tested for validity in advance. Often, there are a pre-set number of expected answers to questions contained in a qualitative interview so that responses can be coded and analyzed by statistical methods.
In the study of the thesis, what should be studied empirically are the perspectives held by members of the core group of a company. Since apprehensions are hard to measure
quantitatively (through utilization of methods used within natural science) it is seemed feasible to employ a qualitative approach. In relation to notions presented above, the aim as well as the context of this study, supports the adaptation of a qualitative approach.
3.1.2 Case study approach
According to Yin (1989) case studies aim to seek answers on questions of how and why type. Further, a case approach entails an empirical enquiry that places a contemporary phenomenon and the context are rarely clearly evident and where multiple sources of evidence may be utilized. This approach has been widely used in the social sciences, not only for exploratory purposes, but also for descriptive as well as explanatory reasons.
These thoughts are corresponded by Gilliam’s (2001) definition of a case. He states that a case is a unit of human activity which is embedded in the real world. It has to be studied in its current context, so that the boundaries between the perceived phenomenon and the context are hard to draw. The advantages of conducting a case study are that it facilitates to view the organization from the inside out to get the true view of the activities within the organization, and to get the perspective of the people involved (Gilliam. 2001). In order to obtain relevant information, Maxwell (1996) suggests that purposeful sampling should be used, meaning that interviews only should be conducted with persons who have a certain position within the company, or possess information that no one else within the company does. Marshall and Rossman (1999) refer to this as elite interviewing. Elites are the people who are influential, well-informed and possess expertise knowledge of the research area.
The reasons for choosing an approach that aims to respond to how and why a phenomenon has occurred are quite obvious. The author are interested in finding out how Electrolux looked like before the changes, what it looks like after the changes, and how it is intended to look like in the future. Besides, there are several reasons why such an approach is appropriate in this study.
Firstly, the definitions of strategy, change, and perceived influences on change are too broad and simultaneously too complex for reliance on self-reported data collected using structured questionnaires. It is the researcher’s understanding of these concepts that must be in focus. Since communicating this understanding to others is difficult and time consuming, the researcher must be involved, “hands on”, both in data collection and in data analysis. The case study approach that employed here certainly permits for this. Secondly, in order to acquire the sort of data needed to answer the research questions and to ensure that these data are adequately comprehensive, several types of
data sources may have to be utilized in regard to the case company, especially considering the extended periods of time involved. Thirdly, this research project is concerned with various perceived influences on change. Perceptions with respect to both the internal and the external context in which change occurs must be taken into consideration for any real understanding of change to be generated (see e.g. Melin &
Hellgren, 1994). In case study approach, this type of contextual approach is in focus.
3.2 Selection of interviewees
The design of the sampling process used for selecting interviewees could be described as a combination of judgmental and convenience sampling. Williams (1997) as well as Hussey and Hussey (1997) propose that a judgmental is obtained through the selection of typical or representative elements in a population. Maxwell (1996) and Marshall &
Rossman (1999) suggest that purposeful sampling and elite interviewing should be used in order to obtain relevant information. The criteria for selection are determined by the researcher in conjunction with, or based on the suggestions made by these experts.
On this instance, contacts were made with individuals at the management levels of Electrolux Group. The author assumes these individuals are knowledgeable about the strategic change and development of the company. With the assumption as a foundation, several potential interviewees were then contacted either directly through directly or through their secretaries. Occasionally, the prospective interviewees referred to other individuals who in their opinions would have a better background or knowledge to answer this type of questions. Therefore, the original list of potential respondents where slightly revised during the process of making initial contact with prospective research subjects. The complete list of interviewees is presented below.
Table 3.1 List of interviewees
Name Job Title Date of
Interview Anders Edholm Vice President Communications, Electrolux
Home Products(EHP) International
2004/09/23 2004/12/09 Ingrid Skoglund Director Human Resources, Electrolux
Home Products(EHP) International 2004/09/23 David Leidenborg Company historian, AB Electrolux 2005/02/04 The above table shows the three individuals interviewed and the dates when the interviews were conducted. As is suggested by their job titles, they all have either high positions within the product divisions/group staffs or well-informed knowledge
pertains to the research. This implies they could be the Elites who are influential, well-informed and possess expertise knowledge of the research area (Marshall and Rossman, 1999).
3.3 Interviews
According to Alvesson and Deetz (2000, p. 194) most qualitative studies have an objective to examine the perceptions, ideas, and thoughts of a group of individuals, and this is hard to do without talking to them. Therefore, “the most common qualitative method is the loosely structured interview.” The method is difficult to handle, but useful or even indispensable for obtaining information and perceptions of people existing in the context of interest.
This perspective is supported by Hussey and Hussey (1997, p.158) they propose that
“despite their advantages” interviews are often time consuming, costly and can be hard to record and analyze, they make it possible to obtain deepened knowledge on complex issues. Further, they often provide a higher degree of confidentiality than regular questionnaires.
To be able to identify and analyze the strategic changes of Electrolux Group as well as forces behind the changes, there is a need to get access to individuals in the high management levels within the company.
As suggested by Alvesson and Deetz (2000) and Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Lowe (2002) a distinctive feature of management research is that managers are extremely busy people. Therefore, the cost of their time has to be considered in the development of a study. “Short interview, fitted into busy schedules, are likely to be much more feasible than unstructured observations and discussions which can take a lot of time”.
(Easterby-Smith, Thorpe & Lowe, 2002, p.8) This notion constituted the basis for the development of questions, as well as the interview format, for the study.
3.4 The process of interviews
During the summer of 2004, the author started the pre-study and the research began.
Meanwhile, the current case company and topic were selected after discussions with the adviser of master thesis. Those discussions were done before the author set off to Jönköping, Sweden in summer 2004. The first step of the data collection after arriving Sweden was to establish contact with Mats Dahlin, the Host Company Coordinator of Jönköping International Business School. Mr. Dahlin provided the contact information of the managers in Norrahammar, Electrolux Compact Appliance; he thought these
contacts might be helpful for the research. However, the managers in Norrahammar, Electrolux Compact Appliance, recommended the author to contact managers in the headquarters of Electrolux since managers in the high management level would be knowledgeable with the strategy-related issues about the Group. Finally, due to the purpose of the study, the interviewees mentioned above (chapter 3.2) were selected, and they were contacted via e-mail. The initially e-mails contained information about the study and what at the same is aimed to investigate. After initial e-mail and phone contact were made, the questionnaires, based on the information/data from the pre-study, were e-mailed to the interviewees on beforehand so that the interviewees could prepare themselves for the interviews. This procedure was repeated for each of the interviews. The formats of interviews were either face to face interviews or phone interviews. Besides, the interviewees had the option of answering the questions in writing and emailing them back if that were of more convenience to them.
During the interviews, a digital recorder was used. The author asked for approval from interviewees for usage before the interviews started. The digital recorder is considered to be a complement to the interviewer, and not a substitute, throughout the interviews (Yin, 1989). The recorded files were transcribed directly after the interview. After the interviews, the author organized the answers taken during the interview and e-mail back to interviewee to make sure the accuracy of the answers taken and avoid any misunderstandings.
3.5 Collection of Second-hand Information
Before leaving to Sweden, the author collected information from library of National Sun Yat-Sen University and asked information from Electrolux subsidiary in Taiwan.
Additional internal and external company information was gathered while the author was in Sweden. With the help of Anita Christiansson, Executive Assistant of Professional Outdoor Products Electrolux, the author gained access to the corporate annual reports which are not available on the Internet. The external information/data were gathered from library of Jönköping International Business School and the Electrolux corporate homepage.